BK Princess Insert or a Larger One ??????

[pete97]

I found out that the fireplace opening is bigger than I thought in the house that we are buying. It is 36" wide front, 25" wide rear, 27" high, and 28" deep. I was going to buy the BK Princess because I liked the cat stove. I am going to be using the stove to heat a 2000 Sq foot 2 story house. Should I go with a larger insert or will the BK heat as well as the others? Thanks, any info would be great. When I ask dealers they wont comment on inserts they don't sell !

 

[cmonSTART]

You could go with a King insert. That should fit in there. How well insulated is the house?

Edit: I'm an idiot. No such thing. Glad I checked.

Anyway, how well insulated is the hose? Have you considered an actual hearth stove?

 

[pete97]

The house was built in 1986. It should be pretty well insulated. The attic has R30 in it. What model is the King? I only saw the Princess and the Briarwood II on their site for inserts. Not enough room for the hearth stove. Pete

 

[cmonSTART]

Ya, that's my mistake. The only inserts they offer are the Princess and Briarwood II. Sorry. We just picked up the line and I'm still learning it.

The Napoleon 1402 insert has a bit smaller firebox and will give you shorter burn times but it might be worth looking into. Hopefully some other folks will jump in with suggestions for inserts.

 

[pete97]

Thanks for the info. I can get the BK Princess Insert for 2600 down here near Pittsburgh Pa. Is that a good price? Pete

 

[BrotherBart]

Excellent price and it should heat that house just fine.

 

[cmonSTART]

That's a decent price. Does it include the shroud?

 

[Patapsco Mike]

Despite the girly name, the Princess is a very big stove. There are only a handful of bigger stoves and none of them are quite like it. Whether you can heat the square footage with this stove depends on your set-up more than it does on the stove itself.

 

[pete97]

I was told that it included everything. Will it heat my new house ok? Never had a new efficient stove. All have been old non EPA stoves !

 

[cmonSTART]

BK's are great heaters. Lots of heat and long burn times. You will be happy with it.

Do you have some good firewood?

 

[pete97]

I have some dead oak that has been drying for almost a year.

 

[ecocavalier02]

probably best to let that oak set another year with the bk even though it was dead

 

[pete97]

I will probably have to try burning some off it. We are moving into a house and that is the only wood I will have. My old stove would burn anything. I guess that is something I will have to get used to !

 

[weatherguy]

Im heating 2900 sf with mine, I use about 25% of the oil I used to, my wife likes it warm when she gets up at 5 am. You should heat 2000 sf no problem. I burn three loads a day mid winter, I was doing two when it was a little warmer. But like everyones telling you, wood must be seasoned, I have some red oak thats only seasoned one year and Im putting it aside hopefully for next year, looks like I may go through 3-3 1/2 cords.

 

[pete97]

Thanks for the advice. I will have to build up my stock pile of wood b/c right now i am almost out

 

[Lanningjw]

This is my first year burning with a Blaze king Princess insert in the Minnesota cold winters. I am happy with the results of the insert. Our house stays nice and warm in the lower 70's. The cat insert provides constant heat and burns clean. I am not heating a 2,000 sf. house though. My house is 1,450 story and 11/2. We use the upstairs for storage. I was up there last night and Evan with the door closed it was nice and warm. My house was built in 1931.

Good luck with your BK Insert. All the BK guys are wonderful people and will help you out. In fact all the guys on the forum are great people, but you know that already!
Jim

 

[pete97]

I have already realized that everyone on this forum is great and a lot of help. Thanks Pete